Welp…2012 has come and gone and i’m sure we’ll all better people than we were last year….What’s that? we’re not?? Ahh…fuck it. Even though the Mayans were wrong (suck it!) we’re probably still doomed on someone’s calendar in 2013, but while we’re still around, we can look forward to new music… The tunes that are gonna help us through our days and nights this year. So….move over Top 18 Albums of 2012, here’s the albums you should look forward to in 2013:

Note: Hyperlinks Galore….CLICK ‘EM ALL!

9. Youth Lagoon – Talented kid from Boise, Idaho stole hipster hearts on 2011’s The Year of Hibernation. A dazzling concoction of bedroom synth tunes. The new release, titled Wondrous Bughouse is due out March 5th on Fat Possum Records.

8. Local Natives – They say they’re from Silver Lake, but they’re really from the South Bay (So Cal South Bay, not NorCal SouthBay), either way, their shit rocks and here’s the first single, ‘Breakers’ off of Hummingbird, due out on January 28th (Playing Fox Theater January 30th!):

7. Earl Sweatshirt – Prolly my fave member of the Odd Future crew (if you don’t count Frank Ocean). Super stoked for this release, called Doris. Here’s the video for the first single ‘Chum’…Its a good taste of what Earl brings to the table:

6. D’Angelo – Ok, ok, ok…You got me. there’s no rumor of a D’Angelo album dropping in 2013, but COME ON MAN! Break us off a piece! We’ve been waiting 10 years for the follow-up to Voodoo….I’m dyin over here. I’m sure D will drop another album as soon as Deltron 3030 does I’ll believe it when i see it.

5. Toro Y Moi – Chaz Bundwick just doesn’t stop making music. Whether it’s his side project, Les Sins or the new track ‘Say That’ off of Anything in Return, (due out January 22nd), dude just keeps making new tunes. He’s such a throwback and is quickly establishing himself a a chill wave heavy hitter. Feel free to scour the internet for various track leaks too, they’re out there (Playing The Independent SF on 3/2 & 3/3!):

4. Cloud Nothings – Cause Dylan Baldi and company are gonna work with Steve Albini again (album due out in fall) and because i can’t get over how ridiculous this is:

3. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – They haven’t dropped an album since It’s Blitz! came out in 2009 and i absolutely adore this woman:

Karen O is quite possibly the best front woman i’ve ever seen on stage. She topped my 2010 list of “Women in Music who Rock and Don’t Suck” and everything she touches turns to gold. Album drops sometime in Spring. Bring it.

2. My Bloody Valentine – The greatest shoegaze band that ever lived. Any alterna-kid from the 90’s swoons over this shit, present company very much included. They haven’t released an album since 1991’s EPIC Loveless and this is very fucking intriguing. The album is said to be mastered and done, but there’s no release info yet. [Hopes for US tour] Go ahead, stare at your sneakers and space out:

1. Atoms For Peace – I want! I want! I want! I’m at a point in my life where anything remotely close to a Radiohead album just makes my fucking knees buckle. Thom Yorke, Flea and Nigel Godrich are dropping their first full length release ‘Amok’ on February 25th. If the album sounds anything like the single, we’re in for a major treat:

There you have it folks. Anticipate away. Happy 2013!

Spinelli